ARMENIAN MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM RETAINS CHAMPION’S TITLE AND WOMEN’S TEAM CONCLUDES STRONGEST SIX IN CHESS WORLD OLYMPIAD
Noyan Tapan
Nov 26, 2008
DRESDEN, NOVEMBER 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The solemn closure ceremony of
the 38th World Chess Olympiad took place on November 25 in Dresden.
The Armenian men’s national team including Levon Aronian, Vladimir
Hakobian, Gabriel Sargsian, Tigran L. Petrosian, and Artashes Minasian
took the first place with 19 points in the competition of 154 teams by
gaining the title of the champion for the second time uninterruptedly
and receiving Olympiad’s gold medals. Thus, Hamilton-Russell Cup again
returned to Armenia. Vladimir Hakobian (8 out of 11 possible points)
and Gabriel Sargsian (9 points) representing the second and third
boards in Armenia’s national team received gold medals.
The teams of Israel (18 points) and the U.S. (17 points) took the
next prize places.
In the last, 11th tour the Armenian women’s national team beat the
Indian women’s national team with the score of 2.5 to 1.5 and took the
6th honorary place with 16 points in the competition of 114 teams. The
Armenian women chess players (Elina Danielian, Lilit Mkrtchian, Nelly
Aghinian, Lilit Galoyan, Siranush Andriasian) improved their results
by 2 places. Lilit Mkrtchian performed excellently by gaining 8 out
of 11 possible points and gained a bronze medal.
The Georgian national team (with the additional index of 18 points)
gained the title of the champion in the women’s tournament. The
delegates of the Ukraine (18 points) and the U.S. (17 points) took
the next prize places.
Katerina Rohunian and Tatev Abrahamian gained a bronze medal in the
national team of the U.S. Varuzhan Hakobian received a bronze medal
in the men’s national team of the U.S.
It should be mentioned that RA President, Chairman of the Republican
Chess Federation Serzh Sargsyan followed Armenian chess players’
last tour’s games.